BRICK — Nick Catone didn't have a bout on the Ultimate Fighting Championship's return to Atlantic City earlier this month.

But that doesn't mean the former Brick Memorial wrestling standout didn't have a vested interest in at least one of the matches that evening at Revel Casino Hotel.

Catone was there to cheer on Edson Barboza — an adopted member of a Central Jersey mixed martial arts community that is growing in membership and success.

"Guys at the higher level try to help each other out, whether it's cornering or sparring," Catone said. "It's hard to find fighters at that elite level, so you try to stick together and get guys as much work as possible.

"We all have different styles so we're always picking each other's brains. We've got a great team and everyone is always out to help each other."

Included in that team is Toms River native Frankie Edgar — the former UFC lightweight champion and current No. 3 featherweight contender — and Marlon Moraes — a current titleholder for the World Series of Fighting.

Barboza — who stopped Evan Dunham at Revel with a body kick TKO — is originally from Rio de Janeiro but now trains at the Hamilton facility of Ricardo Almeida, who also awarded Catone with his jiu-jitsu black belt.

But even with such a beneficial fighting fraternity here, it never hurts to bring in some outside help.

That's just what Catone will be doing Saturday when he welcomes longtime MMA headliner and former Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson to his martial arts and fitness gym in Brick for an MMA seminar. The event will be from 1-3 p.m. and more information can be found at MMASignaturesUSA.com or NickCatoneFitness.com.

"We're excited. The students are excited for someone like that to come around," Catone said. "He's one of those pioneers. You have your Chuck Liddell's, your Randy Couture's and your Dan Henderson's.

"He's one of my all-time favorite fighters, so to have him come here is definitely an honor."

It's another key offering for Nick Catone MMA, which has consistently grown in size — from 3,000 square feet to 5,000 square feet to now 8,000 square feet at its current location on Route 88.

The success hasn't gone unnoticed and this December, Catone will enter the New Jersey Martial Arts Hall of Fame under the position of MMA school owner. He won't even be the only Hall of Famer under the gym's roof.

His boxing trainer Frank Savannah – the Brick native and former Golden Gloves champion – was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame last winter.

"He's everyone's favorite here," Catone said. "He's got a great personality and is one of the best guys I know."

Much like he was there to cheer on Barboza in Ovation Hall earlier this month, Catone was on hand last November when Savannah accepted his honor. And surely, others from his team will be there to support "The Jersey Devil" when he accepts his honor later this year.

"We're being noticed for what we've done in the last three-and-a-half years," Catone said. "We've had a lot of positive energy coming through the gym."